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7th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 5 of 13

Modifiers & Parallelism

Clear, balanced sentences

What your child practices

Revising sentences so describing phrases sit next to what they describe (no misplaced or dangling modifiers) and list items match in form (parallel structure).

Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 7.L.1 · placing modifiers and keeping sentences parallel

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Put a describing phrase right next to the word it describes.
  2. A dangling modifier has nothing in the sentence to describe: “Baking cookies, the kitchen smelled good.” (The kitchen wasn’t baking.)
  3. Parallel structure: items in a list use the same form, like drawing, painting and building.

Example: Make the list parallel: “Amir loves drawing, to paint and building models.” Two items end in -ing; “to paint” doesn’t match. Change it to “painting.” Answer: Amir loves drawing, painting and building models.

Modifiers & Parallelism in Arizona

In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 5 of 13 in 7th grade English Language Arts, after Clauses & Sentences and before Word Mix-Ups.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Arizona Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which revision fixes the misplaced modifier?

    Leo bought a bike from a neighbor with a squeaky bell.

    • With a squeaky bell, Leo bought a bike from a neighbor.
    • Leo bought a bike with a squeaky bell from a neighbor.
    • Leo, with a squeaky bell, bought a bike from a neighbor.

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence means that Kenji was the one person who passed the test?

    • Kenji passed only the test.
    • Kenji only passed the test.
    • Only Kenji passed the test.
    • Kenji passed the test only.

  3. Question 3

    Who or what does “Covered in frosting” describe?

    Covered in frosting, the birthday cake sat on the counter.

    • the birthday cake
    • the counter
    • sat

  4. Question 4

    Which revision fixes the dangling modifier?

    Running down the hill, my hat flew off.

    • Running down the hill, my hat flew off in the wind.
    • My hat flew off, running down the hill.
    • Running down the hill, a hat flew off.
    • Running down the hill, I lost my hat.

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence uses parallel structure?

    • Kenji likes cooking, baking bread and to try new recipes.
    • Kenji likes to cook, baking bread and trying new recipes.
    • Kenji likes cooking, baking bread and trying new recipes.
    • Kenji likes cooking, to bake bread and trying new recipes.

  6. Question 6

    Which revision makes the list parallel?

    The new library is quiet, spacious and has lots of books.

    • The new library is being quiet, spacious and well stocked.
    • The new library is quiet, has space and well stocked.
    • The new library is quiet, spacious and well stocked.

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